Feb 26, 2010

Dear Luke

Dear Luke,

You are 3! And you are just over 3 feet tall! I have no idea how that happened or why I still carry you on occasion. Maybe cause you will always be my baby boy. You are really getting big these days...which is mostly good. You talk like a crazy man, telling stories, singing, and sassing. The funniest is when you tell a story and forget what you were going to say. You'll stop mid-sentence and look at me for the right next word, which of course I have to make up because I have no idea where the story is headed. You also tell dad about your day every evening at dinner. It is short and sweet..."I went to the park, pushed baby, got a spanking, and then we came home"...is a typical reciting. I have no idea why the other fun stuff isn't included or whether the baby pushing really was the highlight of your day.

You also repeat everything, even if you only heard it once. You routinely repeat adages that I've said to you to baby and your stuffed puppy. It is great to know you are listening, except when on occasion you also repeat them to dad when he is getting on to you for something. Like yesterday, as he was giving you a talking too I heard you mumble, "Listen here mister, I don't intend to listen to that much longer." Luckily he didn't hear you as well!

You are super nice to everybody and very polite. You make friends wherever we go, usually winning them over with your sunglasses or the cap you wore all day today. You are smart as a whip too. We started doing an hour a day of learning fun, called activity hour, and I'm pretty sure you are bored silly. Numbers, colors, letters, and shapes are sooo yesterday. I thought "what goes together" games would be fun, but you just blew through it to get onto something else...I had no idea you already had that concept down pat (the things you learn from Sesame Street!).

This year was a big one. We left San Antonio, which meant leaving Sandra, Nori, school, Mission Church, and Seaworld. We still hear about all of them quite often. We moved for the first time for you to a new house in a new place. You have experienced snow now...lots of it. You are staying at home with mom now, which is an adjustment for you too. There is no school to go to yet and we are still working on friends. But, you are a champ...while it was a rough transition you are back in the swing of things now. One thing that stays the same is your affinity with dinosaurs. You went to see Walking with Dinosaurs this past year with dad and they have since invaded our house in the form of a roaring little boy. We had to make the no dinosaurs in the house rule. Elmo has taken a back burner to Dora the Explorer and Dinosaur Train and you are learning to play with your sister (slightly more gently). Just big changes in such a little boy (who thinks he's Big).

I love, love, love you and look forward to the 3 year old year together. I don't want to rush it, but I do love seeing what changes with you every day! -Mom

Favorite toys: puppy (stuffed dalmatian), dinosaurs, dinosaur mountain, not really a toy but you can't live without your blanket

Favorite books: Bedtime Stories. Toddler Bible Stories, Go Dog Go (we read this every single night), all the books from the library (for some reason we read through all 10 or so every single day when the ones we own are rarely touched)

Trips: AL before Xmas; Omaha before Xmas; stop at Dad's friend, Brad's house

Activities: Walking with Dinosaurs, Elmo Live, Seaworld repeatedly, school Thanksgiving performance, Chuck E. Cheese (which is where we went for your birthday), playing the air violin to Mountain Music and Dixieland Delight (AL songs) and clapping to "The Clapping Song" (a.k.a. Days of Elijah)

Least favorites: peas, the thought of going through a car wash

Size: 3T, 7.5 shoes

The world around you: Walter Cronkite, Patrick Swayze & Michael Jackson pass away; two Americans imprisoned in North Korea and eventually released; shooting at Ft Hood; unemployment rate hits double digits; Taylor Swift is entertainer of the year; war in Afghanistan continues, as well as in Iraq; H1N1; first African American President sworn into office; Earthquake in Indonesia; Earthquake in Haiti; Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver

The cape.

You.

You skiing...inspired by the Olympic games.

Helping dad shovel snow...one of your all time favorite things to do.

Birthday breakfast...eggs, bacon, cake.

Presents -- from Sammie, a train track.

Handmade by dad for you -- dinosaur mountain.

From parents, a tractor and book, glow in the dark dinosaur stick-ons. From Hurst Grandparents - skates! From Ma and Pops...who knows...we haven't gotten it yet...so more b'day fun to come.